Mobility experiences for reinforcing European islands hospitality human resources

“The project arises from the awareness that in an increasingly global world, islands are more and more secluded and the best means to fight isolation is to promote mobility and enable less skilled people to benefit from an experience abroad. This project corresponds to two interconnected activities. On one hand, MIJ will send 16 young people with fewer opportunities abroad to benefit from a new professional approach and on the other hand, MIJ professional inclusion counsellors have the opportunity to improve their mobility-related expertise with other professionals. Then they work together to better comprehend the concept of mobility and to adapt it to the New Caledonian context. MIJ chose traineeships in tourism because it is a strategic sector for the growth of islands involved in this proposal; the motor that propels the service sector. In the concerned partners areas, tourism represents over than 25% of the Gross National Product. Therefore, it is a necessity to identify properly the direction of the vocational education and training skills in tourism sector. It is important to ensure that they are built and developed in a way that guarantees a real competitiveness in terms of quality and innovation, in relation to other European and overseas countries (especially low cost ones).

The combination of traineeship and job shadowing mobilities is a key factor to compare methods, work rhythms and professional approaches and enable all the participants to share their experience and find new ways to increase mobility among people from New Caledonia. Besides, the lack of knowledge regarding counseling mobility; to people with fewer opportunities reinforces the issue. The PICs are the most capable actors to deal with fears among young people (such as leaving their family cocoon…). Thus, they must fully comprehend the concept of youth mobility by living it and get prepared to promote it to New Caledonian after their return.

Moreover, special living conditions brought by the "islander way of life" influences the future of VET learners and youth workers.
It's more reassuring for young islanders who never had to leave their own territory to make a mobility towards another island, an environment they already know. It is an additional key factor towards success.

Before their departure, each participant attended a preparatory course which gave them an overview (language, culture, professional habits…) of their hosting island. In the hosting country, VET learners attended a linguistic and cultural course and youth workers have a meetings to better understand their hosting islands and the concept of mobility.

As far as present partners are concerned, mutual expectations are fully fitted because each owns similar tourism structures, have a high level standard in running and provision services and belongs to countries with a great tradition, professionalism and efficiency in tourism related services. Traineeship in one of these countries gave all the participants the opportunity to face other contexts, learn and import new methodologies, increase their competitiveness and develop new professional skills.”